Recipes

Beef

Beef and Ale Stew with Horseradish Dumplings

Warm up on a cold winter evening with this hearty beef and ale stew, accompanied by a complimenting horseradish dumpling recipe.

Perfect with warm crusty bread and butter to soak up any left overs. Add more root vegetables such as swede or parsnips finely diced if you want more variety.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

750g/1lb 11oz Red Tractor braising steak, cut into chunks

600ml/1 pint beef stock

2 Red Tractor onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 Red Tractor carrots, cut into chunks

1 bay leaf

250g/9oz Red Tractor closed cup mushrooms

Dumplings:

110g/4oz Red Tractor Allinson self-raising flour

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped fresh Red Tractor parsley

50g/2oz Red Tractor Country Life English butter, chilled

2 tsp creamed horseradish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and add the cubes of beef a few at a time, cooking over a high heat to seal and brown them. Add the beef stock, onions, garlic, carrots and bay leaf. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.

Add the mushrooms. Cover and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the meat is very tender.

To make the dumplings, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and the parsley. Grate the chilled butter and stir through the flour, then add the horseradish and just enough cold water to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough lightly for a moment, then form into 12 small dumplings. Add to the casserole, letting them sit on the surface. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes, until the dumplings are light and fluffy. Check the seasoning of the beef, adding salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with the dumplings.

TIP: If you prefer, bake the casserole in the oven for about 2 ½ hours at 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Bake some large Red Tractor potatoes above the casserole dish for the final 1 ¼ hours to provide for hearty appetites and serve with lightly cooked Red Tractor Savoy or white cabbage.